Sushil Kumar rarely opens up in front of strangers, or even media persons. There’s a private side to him which he prefers keeping locked up. On Sunday evening, though, after it was all over, Sushil decided to open up a bit and be himself.
As a cool air blew across the docks outside the Excel arena, and planes took off with monotonous regularity at the far end, their lights twinkling in the fading light, Sushil took a deep breath and exhaled. And talked.He talked about difficult times, about his life in the ring, about the people around him who have kept him going. He talked about the pain of being Sushil Kumar.With a somber look on his face, the 29-year-old revealed how his father Diwan Singh suffered from cancer in 2011, a period in which he was himself battling injury. “My father has been a pillar of support. You have seen me in the arena, fighting with opponents, working hard all the time, but I would not have been here without my father. You have not seen him wake up very early in the morning, get milk for me, get me ready for my training, even give a rub, and then go for work and work hard all day. You have not seen those sacrifices,” he said, bowing his head, trying to control his emotions.”It was a cancer of throat, fourth stage. The doctor told us to take care of him for two months. That’s all he gave him. But they did not know my father and his courage. He fought and now he is all right.”Diwan Singh’s fight with cancer gave son Sushil the strength to fight for a berth in the London Games and achieve what he always thought he was capable of.Sushil revealed how going away from home was so difficult, at just 14, even as he craved for the warmth of his home in Baprola. He said he was very happy with Yogeshwar Dutt’s medal.”Yogi has really suffered. Actually I have spent more time with him and other wrestlers than with my family. They are all like brothers. Yogi went through hell – two surgeries and the pain. His knee was very bad and he kept thinking his career would end. I kept telling him, ‘tu lad (you fight)’. Ab dekho usey (look at him now). He has made the whole country happy… shaan se ghoomega apni SUV mein (he will roam around with pride in his SUV).” Sushil said he was happy with the way the federation helped him but he was cut with the fact that his physical trainer-cum-masseur, Vijender, was not made part of the contingent. “I struggled to get him in with those guest passes, to be with me when I trained. You don’t know how important he is for me. Two days before the bout in training, I suffered from spasms in my left hand. I could do nothing. Vijender fixed it. He was the one who got me ready before every bout, to help me recover in time for another tough bout. And to think that I have to struggle to get him inside the Village…” he said, shaking his head.”Yes, the federation will pay for his expenses but yeh sahi nahin hai (that is not the point).”You always wondered whether Sushil had the famous wit of the Jat, that rustic sense of humour. You got a taste of it soon. When asked about his semifinal bout against his Kazakh opponent who accused him of biting his ear, Sushil smiled, “I’m a vegetarian.”You laughed, and he winked and laughed out aloud. Like a naughty child.You wanted to see more of this side, the playful prankster, but his wife Savi put an end to it. Their car was waiting. His entourage moved as a plane took off in the distance. Everyone clapped and Sushil looked backed and waved. It was time to go home.